Keeping it simple

There was early morning stillness

and birdsong;

the leaves stirring 

ever so slightly

in a passing breeze.

It never gets less poignant.

It never makes more sense;

how frequently

how easily

how carelessly

we send our children off to fight 

and die.

I needed to remember the enormity of the freedoms we have in this country;

that even the privilege of being disgusted by politicians 

with puffed up hair and egos to match

is the direct result of the sacrifice others have made;

made so we can live under a system of government 

where differences of opinions can exist

and are expressed...

and expressed...

and expressed.

 Of course there's a shadow side.

there always is.

No country,

no system of government,

no way of life

is perfect.

 We're born.

We 'become'

conservative, liberal,

Democrat, Republican,

Christian, Atheist ...

and, as much as we're each unique,

 can you tell who was what?

We die.

I'm amazed at how complicated we try to make everything in between.

Memorial Day 2016

New realities

Artist, Maggie Meiners, recently used my family members 

in a photo for her latest series 

re-visioning the work of Norman Rockwell.

New takes on current American issues which

Norman probably never envisioned.

Here's what she said on Facebook.

I feel the need to share my photograph titled "Cock, Bang and Repeat" 

as today's headlines read that Chicago tallies it's 1,000th shooting. 

This image is part of my "Revisiting Rockwell" series 

and is based on his painting, "Freedom from Fear". 

 I am not sure what the solution is, 

but I am sure that if we embrace the idea of humanity, 
foster discussions about our similarities and differences, 
and listen to one another's personal stories, 
perhaps we can find a way to respect the lives of one another 
despite resentments, anger, stress and misunderstanding.

The families of this senseless violence 
in this great city 
are in my thoughts and prayers 
as they continue to live in fear. 

May Peace be upon you soon.

 Prayers for all of us trying to keep our balance 
in a world that is seriously off kilter!

Life

Despite how relaxed and laid back we look over here,

we've been busy.

The guest room has been used

 

which came as rude awakening for 'the girls'

who consider it theirs.

When not busy exploring new careers,

the cousins visited old favorites

 

and new houses. 

 

Friends from CA visited too

bringing their sweet baby and news of my son.

 

There's been a trip out of town 

to a home where the door is always open

 and 'the Zen room' is waiting.

There were celebratory flowers

 

  

 family

 

 and 'fine art"that made me smile

 

 

 

 

and gave me ideas.

 

 

 There's been no part of the past few days

I haven't enjoyed.

Summer is off to a terrific start!

Update

Thanks to all those who have written and asked for an update on my health.

To sum up...

it's as good as it's gonna get! 

I am fully cognizant of the fact that 

at my age 

I won't be getting healthier

younger

more fit

less stiff, crunchy 

or stronger.

So I've learned to appreciate the days when I'm relatively pain free,

can move through all my obligations and make it home 

before I take off my bra, collapse in a heap 

and rot my mind while watching TLC

or fall asleep during Masterpiece - 

clearly I still aspire to be smarter!

I continue to make the rounds every two months 

of my Internist, Rheumatologist and Oncologist.

I get monthly blood work (vials and vials worth);

now that I think of it, 

maybe that's why I'm tired!

The diagnosis the docs have settled on is that I have
severe Rheumatoid arthritis and smoldering myeloma -

who knew 'smoldering' anything
was even a legitimate thing?

 

It means I have a malignant process going on in my bone marrow,

the manufacturing of an extra type of protein,

but I have none of the end stage organ failure that goes along with multiple myeloma.

All multiple myelomas begin as smoldering myeloma

but not all smoldering myelomas go on to develop to multiple myeloma;

does that make sense?

If you're from St Louis, 

the analogy that fits best is that I'm the human equivalent of

 the Bridgeton Landfill.

You know there's dangerous shit going on just below the surface,

so you constantly monitor everything you can

 in order to try to predict when all hell's going to break loose -

while you figure out how to head it off if and when it does.

Chances are good nothing will ever come of all the smoldering; 

that I'll die while on a Mission trip or coming home from Schnucks...

and that's when it hit me.

This diagnosis doesn't mean anything - 

except that it makes me exactly like everyone else.

All kinds of dangerous, life threatening stuff could happen

 anytime,

without warning.

No amount of monitoring 

or self care

 is going to change the outcome.

There's no supplement that can prevent our inevitable end.

Yet I take some supplements that can't hurt
and the medication the doctors say WILL help

And

I'm living each day as fully as I can.

Laughing, loving, working, worrying, 

looking forward to future travels, new family members,

exciting changes in the lives of people I love 

and in the communities to which I belong.

Despite what the arrow says on the diagram above,

I'm here,
right here,
right now,

actively looking for
and finding 

beauty

every day.

Life is good.